Buddleia plant named ‘UCONNBD604’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Buddleia  plant named ‘UCONNBD604’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit and thick stems with short internodes; dense and bushy appearance; leathery and durable leaves; freely flowering habit; broadly conical inflorescences with numerous blue purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention was made with government support under grant number 2015-31200-06009 awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture. The United States Government has certain rights in the invention.

Botanical designation: Buddleia davidii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘UCONNBD604’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Buddleia plant, botanically known as Buddleia davidii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘UCONNBD604’.

The new Buddleia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Storrs, Conn. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact Buddleia plants with dense growth habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Buddleia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventors in July, 2008 in Storrs, Conn. of Buddleia davidii ‘Adokeep’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Buddleia davidii identified as code designation Uconn dwf-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Buddleia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Storrs, Conn. in July, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Buddleia plant by softwood stem cuttings in a controlled environment in Storrs, Conn. since July, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Buddleia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Buddleia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘UCONNBD604’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘UCONNBD604’ as a new and distinct Buddleia plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit, thick stems with short internodes;         dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Leathery and durable leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Broadly conical inflorescences with numerous blue         purple-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Buddleia differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Adokeep’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleia are more compact than plants of         ‘Adokeep’.     -   2. Plants of the new Buddleia have thicker stems, shorter         internodes and are denser and bushier than plants of ‘Adokeep’.     -   3. Plants of the new Buddleia have thicker and darker         green-colored leaves than plants of ‘Adokeep’.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Buddleia are longer than         inflorescences of plants of ‘Adokeep’.     -   5. Plants of the new Buddleia and ‘Adokeep’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Adokeep’ have navy blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Buddleia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleia are more compact than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Buddleia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have dark lilac-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Buddleia can also be compared to plants of Buddleia hybrida ‘Purple Haze’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,514. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Buddleia differ primarily from plants of ‘Purple Haze’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Buddleia are more compact and denser than         plants of ‘Purple Haze’.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Buddleia are fuller and         denser than inflorescences of plants of ‘Purple Haze’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Buddleia are darker blue purple         in color than flowers of plants of ‘Purple Haze’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Buddleia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Buddleia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘UCONNBD604’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘UCONNBD604’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. Plants were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Buddleia davidii ‘UCONNBD604’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Buddleia davidii ‘Adokeep’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Buddleia             davidii identified as code designation Uconn dwf-01, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood stem cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots plant, summer.—About one to two weeks             at temperatures ranging from 21° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 30 days at             temperatures ranging from 21° C. to 29° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Deciduous perennial shrub;             relatively compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant             habit; rounded appearance; thick stems, short internodes and             dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 42.2 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 89.5 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity: Freely branching habit with             about twelve primary lateral branches developing per plant;             pinching enhances lateral branch development. Length: About             30 cm to 36 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length:             About 4 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 35°             from vertical. Texture: Pubescent, glaucous; with             development, woody. Color, developing: Close to 145C. Color,             developed: Close to 199B with striations, close to 199A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement and appearance.—Opposite, simple; leaves durable             and leathery.         -   Length.—About 13 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute to acuminate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Serrate; slightly undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent,             coriaceous; venation prominent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A and             137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 194A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,             close to 145A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 194A; faint speckles, close to 20B; venation, close to             145B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 7.5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             surface: Close to 145A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arranged on terminal and axillary panicles; inflorescences             face mostly outwardly; panicles broadly conical in shape;             freely flowering habit with more than 400 flowers developing             per inflorescence; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; sweet, honey-like, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants             flower continuously from mid-summer into the autumn in             Michigan.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Color: Towards the base, close to 83A;             mid-section, close to 86C; towards the apex, close to 86A.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 7.8 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.3 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically four in a single             whorl. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Oblong             to obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Slightly acute. Margin:             Entire; slightly undulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; soft. Color: Developing petals,             upper surface: Close to 77B; towards the margins, close to             89D. Developing petals, lower surface: Close to 77C; towards             the margins, close to 89D. Fully developed petals, upper             surface: Close to 87B; towards the margins, close to 89C;             color fades only slightly with development. Fully developed             petals, lower surface: Close to 88D; towards the margins,             close to 88B; color fades only slightly with development.             Throat: Close to 31A. Tube: Close to 88D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate to ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly             pubescent. Color, upper surface: Towards the base, close to             145C and towards the apex, close to 147C. Color, lower             surface: Close to 148D.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About             0.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Upright to outwardly.             Texture: Pubescent to smooth and glabrous. Color: Close to             145B tinged with close to 184A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             four. Filament length: About 0.6 mm. Filament color: Close             to 155B tinged with close to 145B. Anther length: About             1 mm. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 155B.             Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 11C. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Stigma             shape: Oblong. Stigma color: Close to 145A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Quantity of fruit per lateral branch: More             than 100. Fruit length: About 7 mm to 9 mm. Fruit diameter:             About 2 mm. Fruit texture: Smooth. Fruit color: Close to             144B; towards the apex, slightly overlain with close to             N186D. Seed length: Less than 1 mm. Seed diameter: Less than             1 mm. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Buddleia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Buddleia     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Buddleia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and to be hardy     to USDA Hardiness Zone 6. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Buddleia plant named ‘UCONNBD604’ as illustrated and described. 